SES-2 Launching In One Hour

[Pixl]

Looks like they got the strike settled, the count down has resumed. Est. launch approx 5:20 PM EDT.
Unless someone finds a FTA channel, you can watch it on line.
Arianespace - VideoCorner > Livestream video coverage

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Where is it going looks like somewhere around 101 - 103?

 

[bobvick]

I thought it was supposed to replace AMC 3 at 87w.

 

[Jim S.]

That's what I heard too.

 

[SatPhreak]

Thanks for the heads up, Pixl. I've never seen a live launch before, except for shuttle launches. Arab Sat 3C is going up on the same launch. EDIT Arab Sat 5C.

 

[chapelrun]

Cool Launch - - - thanks for the heads up!

 

[SatPhreak]

Both Sats were launched with no problems.

 

[Pixl]

Kinda fun to watch a sat go up that we all will be receiving signals from.
Nice clean launch.

 

[KE4EST]

..........Its SES-2 co-passenger for the Ariane 5 flight was built by Orbital Sciences Corporation of the U.S. for SES WORLD SKIES, and is a hybrid C- and Ku-band spacecraft that will serve North America from an orbital slot of 87 deg. West.
This platform has an estimated mass at liftoff of 3,152 kg., and it also carries the Commercially Hosted InfraRed Payload (CHIRP) for the U.S. Air Force – which integrates a wide-field of view sensor in the satellite.

The SES-2 satellite is based on Orbital’s GEOStar 2.4 bus, the company’s largest and most powerful communications satellite. It carries 24 active C-band and 24 Ku-band transponders of 36 MHz capacity. Six of the channels in each band can be cross-strapped to the opposite band, enabling new service capability.

The SES-2 satellite will generate approximately 5.0 kilowatts of payload power and will have two 2.3 meter deployable reflectors..........


I got this info here: LIVE: Ariane 5 ECA launches with Arabsat-5C and SES-2 | NASASpaceFlight.com

 

[RT-Cat]

Sounds great. But how long does it take to get it in position, test it, test it again, and put into use? A month? Six months?

RT.

 

[KE4EST]

Yeah it will probably be a few months

 

[whatchel1]

Don't know about this sat but E* was able to bring their last sat on line in less than 2 m.

 

[Dee_Ann]

Woo hoo!!! I sure hope 87 gets stronger and more stable! This one satellite has given me FITS since day one!!

 

[skysurfer]

Sounds great. But how long does it take to get it in position, test it, test it again, and put into use? A month? Six months?

Depends how safe or fast SES wants the bird in action. Typical timeline is about 1-2 weeks to shake out the transfer orbit to geostationary orbit and drift sat into its testing slot, about 1-2 weeks to check it out assuming no problems with the hardware, a week or two to drift it into operational slot and then it could sit there waiting to replace the bird or could replace it right away.

For SES-2 and assuming SES is excited to shut off or relocate AMC-3, I"d say probably a month if SES-2 is found to be in great shape. If SES is just being prepared for AMC-3's retirement or possible relocation, or if SES-2 has hardware issues that need to be investigated and solutions figured out, it could be months.

 

[RT-Cat]

Good info Skysurfer. Brings up a related question. After a new sat is tested and ready to be used, how do they go about getting one out of position and the new in position without interrupting service? How close can they get sats when changing one?

RT.

 

[bobvick]

Not to change the subject from SES-2, but has SES-3 replaced AMC-1 at 103W yet? AMC-1 is about 15 years old, so I would think it was near end of life.

 

[pendragon]

From what I recall AMC-1 is in no imminent danger of running out of gas - a few years back SES requested a license extension until 2016 based on fuel reserves at the time. I don't remember what the current end-of-life is for AMC-3, but I believe it still has some years to go. I haven't yet seen any plans for future uses of AMC-1 or AMC-3.

 

[photoman76]

During the broadcast, one of the SES guys said they planned to put SES 2 into commercial service in early November.

 

[Dee_Ann]

During the broadcast, one of the SES guys said they planned to put SES 2 into commercial service in early November.

It can't happen too soon IMO...

 

[skysurfer]

how do they go about getting one out of position and the new in position without interrupting service? How close can they get sats when changing one?

RT.

the sats are placed up to .1 deg apart (which is still plenty of room between them) while remaining in the beamwidth of most dishes. Switchovers are usually done in the middle of the night and transponder by transponder with only a few minutes interruption for each service.

My sport is watching the magic happen on my spectrum analyzer minute by minute if I get word of what night a switchover happens.